Georgia Southern Eagles vs. Georgia Bulldogs Complete Game Preview

The Georgia Bulldogs have completed SEC play with a 5-3 record, and they will now have a two-week stretch when they face in-state opponents. On Saturday night, the Bulldogs will face Georgia Southern in the final game at Sanford Stadium this season.

Georgia Southern comes into the game with a 7-2 overall record and a 5-1 record in Sun Belt Conference play. They are also the defending conference champions.

The Bulldogs, however, come into the game with some momentum. After losing to Florida almost three weeks ago, they rolled past Kentucky and beat Auburn with defense and special teams. So Georgia will look to keep the momentum going against a very good Georgia Southern team.

But as good as the Eagles are, the Bulldogs should be able to come away with a win if they continue to play like they have the last two weeks.

Date: Nov. 22, 2015

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga.

TV: ESPN U

Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network, Eagle Sports Network, Sirius/XM 112/202

Odds: Georgia is a 14.5 favorite according to Odds Shark.

When Georgia Southern Has the Ball

Georgia Southern runs an option offense, but they run it better than any team in the country. The Eagles lead the country in rushing yards per game (378.89), rushing touchdowns (39) and yards per carry (6.73).

And because the Eagles run the ball better than any team in Division I, they rarely throw the ball, as they have attempted to pass 96 times and they average 64 passing yards per game.

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

The offense is led by running backs Matt Breida and L.A. Ramsby as well as quarterback Kevin Ellison. All three players have rushed for at least 560 yards and six touchdowns this season. Running back Wesley Fields has also been a key contributor, rushing for 557 yards and six touchdowns.

The Eagles are facing a Georgia defense that has given up 139.6 rushing yards per game. And despite winning against Auburn last week, the Bulldogs allowed 213 yards on the ground.

Overall, the defense has been solid for the Bulldogs, ranking fourth in the SEC in total defense and fifth in the SEC in scoring defense. Jake Ganus has emerged as the leader on defense, as he is 14th in the conference with 74 tackles. And Jordan Jenkins is putting together another strong season with 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

When Georgia Has the Ball

I think it’s safe to say the Georgia offense is not going to scare anyone based on that they have done the last month. They have not reached the 30-point mark during that span, and last week, the Bulldogs scored only one offensive touchdown in the win against Auburn.

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Greyson Lambert completed 12 of his 17 passes last week, but he threw for only 97 yards. If the Bulldogs are going to light up the scoreboard, the run game will have to be on fire. The Bulldogs are fourth in the SEC in rushing offense, and Sony Michel has done a solid job taking the place of Nick Chubb, as he has rushed for 795 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bulldogs are facing an Eagles defense that is second in the Sun Belt in scoring, rushing and total defense. They are led by Antwione Williams, who is sixth in the conference with 73 tackles. Bernard Dawson leads the team with three sacks, and Antonio Glover has been a monster in the secondary, as he’s third in the country with six interceptions.

Player to Watch for Georgia Southern: Matt Breida

As was mentioned earlier, there are a number of players who have helped the Eagles become the No. 1 rushing attack in FBS. But if there is one player the Bulldogs need to watch for, it would have to be Breida.

Not only is the junior running back second in the Sun Belt in rushing, he also ranks eighth in the country with 1,242 yards. He knows how to get into the end zone too, as he ranks 10th in the country with 14 touchdowns.

"

@SportsSturm If you had RBs like Matt Breida doing this kind of thing, you'd never pass either: https://t.co/wqCGGBUeoc

— Adam McC (@TwoBitWhackJob) November 13, 2015"

So why isn’t Breida getting a whole lot of national attention? Because he plays in a non-Power Five conference and Georgia Southern is not nationally ranked. Also, most of his damage has come against Sun Belt Conference opponents. Regardless, Breida will get his yards on Saturday. If he has a career day against the Bulldogs, the boys in red and black will be in deep trouble.

Player to Watch for Georgia: Isaiah McKenzie

If there was one player who was key in Georgia’s victory over Auburn last week, it would have to be Isaiah McKenzie. 

The sophomore receiver scored the Bulldogs' only offensive touchdown late in the third quarter, and he gave the Bulldogs the lead in the fourth quarter as he returned a 53-yard punt for a touchdown.

"

Isaiah McKenzie gives #UGA the late lead with a 55 yard punt return for a TD! https://t.co/5s1cE9dlyZ

— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAonScout) November 14, 2015"

That play was noticed by the higher-ups in the conference, and McKenzie was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

McKenzie has been the team’s biggest weapon the last two seasons, recording four punt returns for touchdowns, which ties a school record, according to Chip Towers of Dawgnation.com. He also has one kick return for a touchdown, which gives him five overall special teams’ touchdowns.

If the Eagles want to win on Saturday, one of the things they have to do is keep McKenzie in check.

Final Prediction: Georgia 35, Georgia Southern 17

The Bulldogs likely won’t blow past the Eagles because they have been inconsistent the last month and the Eagles are good enough to keep it close. However, the Bulldogs are more talented and have more depth at key positions.

The one thing Georgia Southern has to do is run the football like they have all season long. If Breida gets going, the Bulldogs will have a tough time pulling away from the Eagles.

However, the Bulldogs should be able to do enough on defense to limit Georgia Southern, and McKenzie should have a couple of big punt returns. That should help the offense score points, because they will work from a short field, and they should get north of 30 points for the first time in over a month.